This book reveals how today's devastating conflicts across Gaza, Syria, and the broader Middle East represent imperialism in its most destructive form. Leading Area Studies scholars move beyond fragmented analyses to examine how US-led imperial power functions as a comprehensive system—from Tunisia's financial dependency to the weaponization of feminist discourse in justifying violence.

Central to this analysis is the concept of "accumulation by waste," demonstrating how systematic destruction has become imperialism's primary mechanism for maintaining regional control. Through diverse case studies spanning North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, the authors illuminate how military interventions, financial domination, and ideological warfare work in concert to preserve Western hegemony. Yet this collection also documents emerging alternatives: from Palestinian resistance in Gaza to China's development model, pathways beyond imperial control are taking shape. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the forces shaping our world and the struggles necessary to transform it.

This volume speaks to students, scholars and policymakers across International Relations, Political Economy, Marxist Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Critical Security Studies.

Originally published as a special issue of Middle East Critique, this edition features three additional chapters and a thoroughly updated introduction that addresses recent developments across the region.